My education prepared me with the knowledge and confidence to go out into the culinary world and find my niche. Jamika Pessoa , Field Correspondent for ABC TV's "The Chew" Associate of Arts in Culinary Arts, 2004 , The Art Institute of Atlanta

Field Correspondent for ABC TV's "The Chew"

Working as a field correspondent for ABC TV’s daytime food talk show “The Chew,” Jamika Pessoa travels across the country to highlight culinary events, restaurants, foods, and food trends. She also cooks and reports on-air. “I enjoy being able to make people smile with my food and charm,” she says.

Because she is in the process of building her own brand, Chef Jamika is inspired by celebrities including Rachael Ray, Martha Stewart, and Oprah Winfrey. In addition to her work on “The Chew,” Jamika was a contestant on “The Next Food Network Star, Season 5.” She’s also served as a host on TLC’s lifestyle show “Home Made Simple” and has been a guest on “The Today Show” and “The Rachael Ray Show.”

Jamika also owns her own business, working as a personal chef. In 2004, she earned an Associate of Arts degree in Culinary Arts from The Art Institute of Atlanta—and she believes that her education helped her to succeed in the industry. “My education prepared me with the knowledge and confidence to go out into the culinary world and find my niche.” She recommends that budding chefs seeking the limelight work hard to achieve their goals. “I did not start here. It takes a lot of humility, hard work, patience, and determination to get here. I always have to look for ways to stand out among others.”